Salivary IgA Antibodies Against Bacteria Incriminated as Periodontal Pathogens in Kenyan Adolescents: Correlation with Disease Status and Demonstration of Antibody Specificity

Abstract

Kenyan adolescents, without destructive periodontal disease, possess salivary IgA antibodies to Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans strain Y4, Porphyromonas gingivalis strain W83, Prevotella intermedia , Capnocytophaga ochracea and Streptococcus mutans . There were strong correlations between the levels of antibodies to each species tested, to the total antibacterial IgA response and to the levels of the total IgA isotype. The mean antibody levels to all the organisms tested was significantly positively correlated with the Bleeding Index and negatively with the Plaque Index. Reduction of the saliva with periodate decreased the IgA binding to each species tested, suggesting that a part of the specific IgA antibodies may be associated with bacteria binding salivary glycoproteins. The association between the IgA antibodies to each species was unaffected by periodate reduction. Keywords: IgA; Salivary; Bacteria; Periodontal; Antibodies.